Lighting Question

ken isaac via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Tue, 10 Jan 2023 12:54:10 PST
"Not an expert" myself, Fred, but I get frustrated searching the internet
for lighting info, and all the "expert bloggers" just keep saying the same
thing; "lumens are for humans" and while cute, repeating that isn't a
standard for us.  All the "cheap lights" don't give you the real specs do
you can judge their lights.

I found the new UL specification, UL8800, for rating horticultural lights,
https://ul.com/services/horticultural-lighting/

"UL 8800 is used to evaluate horticultural lighting equipment from
manufacturers seeking the UL certification Mark for their equipment and
devices, and as of March 2021, the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) requires
UL 8800 safety certification"

While the specification report  example at thst link is obviously designed
for people better trained than myself, I can certainly understand the main
UL 8800 standards goals:
-insure the wiring and fixtures are safe and secure.
-insure the fixtures are reasonably moisture-proof, and meet  minimum
standards for dust, uv and heat protection.
-insure the light output is safe enough for humans- our eyes and skin- to
be sharing the growing space
-and finally, insure the light output is correct wavelength and efficent
for the plants.


About wavelength:  while the internet indists "red/blue" is all the plants
need, the UL specification detail PDF from that link says its reports will
provide" 350-800nm spectral distribution, acknowledging chlorophyll is not
the only photo reactive chemical in plants, to illustrate a better picture
of what light output a product is providing."

So, maybe the purple lights are a little behind the curve, being edged out
by the full spectrum crowd? I don't know, but I'd love to hear more
educated answers from this list...

 It also shows the recommended height and spread of each rated fixture, so
you can judge if your lights are producing the desired intensity your
plants will respond with.

The problem is manufacturers desire to qualify for this new standard.  I
guess that's where we come in... demanding a standard before we purchase?

Ken
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